Saturday, March 19, 2011

The Stranglers: Eastern Front (Cleavland, 1978)


So, like so many bands that flushed to fame in the late seventies, The Stranglers (more here) would have to grow up in public. Unlike The Jam, The Damned and The Clash, there would be no sophomore slump (No More Heroes being an indisputable classic) but then there would be no need of a third album comeback on the scale of All Mod Cons, Machine Gun Etiquette or London Calling either. Instead, The Strangler began a wildly unpredictable career trajectory that held some fearsome works and some yawn-inducing ones.



By 1978's Black and White, The Stranglers had grown more belligerent and less tuneful, though the album is still a fan fave. Live, the '78 version of the band sounded like a cross between The Doors and The Ramones as they rammed through their catalog with incredible velocity and veracity. To hear the band at their most bludgeoning stage, don't miss this bloody-sounding bootleg of a show at The Agora Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio in 1978.



1. Threatened.
2. Burning up time.
3. Straighten out.
4. London lady.
5. Down in the sewer.
6. Five minutes.
7. Toiler on the sea.
8. Grip.
9. Dagenham Dave.
10. Bring on the nubiles.
11. Dead ringer.
12. Hanging around.
13. Nice 'n sleazy.
14. No more heroes.
15. Tank.

So what do you think of Black and White era Stranglers? Let us know in the comments!

Speaking of comments, that is the section wherein you will find Eastern Front link
(though you have to scroll down to the second comment).


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12 comments:

  1. Mate - i got this show on Cd and its got four extra tracks on it.

    trax yr missing are
    16.Hanging around.
    17.Something better change.
    18.Goodbye Toulouse.
    19.I feel like a wog.

    do you want a copy of these 4 tracks??

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    Your thoughts, observations and theories are welcome...





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    http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?qa555u6x003gnu3

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  3. UF
    Yeah those four tracks are Peel sessions which are on The Sessions CD I posted earlier this week. I left them off because they seemed sorta tacked on.
    Maybe I should make both versions available...
    Do you have front and/or back cover scans you could send?

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  4. No mate i dont have scans unortunately but prefer the cover you posted, its definitely better.

    And as for the last 4 tracks - i got to say i havent played it for ages so forgot abut them being sessions as the track list runs straight thru.
    Been listening to a lot of old stranglers lately so may have to play that one as well - fave being the roundhouse gig

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  5. No biggie - I was happy with that cover too.

    I'll try to throw up The Roundhouse boot as well.

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  6. Thanks for all of these Stranglers posts. I've really been digging them lately.

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  7. Great post,Black & White is my favourite Stranglers record,a great set list including Straighten Out,one of all time punk classic with New Rose,Kill etc...for me... many thanks

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  8. I am completely psyched that this blog is paying fealty to the men with their heads covered in birdshit. Saw them last, in Boston (1980? 1981??) doing 'Meninblack' still have their music *except for JJ's 'Euroman' which my room-mate has..curses on him...* So I continue to follow. Please advise if/when North America is again visited. Thanks.

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  9. Thanx jeffen, loving all this Stranglers stuff,

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  10. fuggin awesome! reminded me why i loved this band so much as a teen...

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  11. Hi can you repost? The link has expired.

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